2012 NBA draft: A smokescreen by the Charlotte Bobcats with the No. 2 pick?

Heading into Thursday’s NBA Draft, there has been confidence about how picks Nos. 2-5 will shape up. The Charlotte Bobcats are believed to be after forward Thomas Robinson at No. 2, with Bradley Beal landing with the Washington Wizards at No. 3, and the Cleveland Cavaliers claiming either Harrison Barnes or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist at No. 4. That would leave the Sacramento Kings to choose between Barnes or Kidd-Gilchrist on one hand, or center Andre Drummond on the other.

Now comes word, though, that perhaps the Bobcats won’t take Robinson. Or, more likely, that they will trade down to Cleveland’s slot, with the Cavaliers enamored of Beal. With the Wizards having just traded for Nene and Emeka Okafor, and Andray Blatche’s contract still on the books, the Bobcats would be gambling that Washington wouldn’t add another power forward, which would mean they could still scoop up Robinson at No. 4. The Charlotte-Cleveland buzz could make Washington nervous enough to bump itself up to No. 2 via a trade with the Bobcats, too.

Of course, veteran draft observers have their suspicions about all of this — Charlotte would be the clear beneficiary, and this could be the classic draft-week smokescreen designed to beef up the value of the Bobcats’ pick, which they have been open to shopping all along.

“I don’t think anyone’s panicking over what Charlotte is doing with that pick,” one general manager said. “If you’re in the top five, you’ve got to have some confidence that you’re going to get one of two players you’ve targeted. No one’s giving up the store to get that pick, I would say. But it’s a smart move, if it is Charlotte that is getting the word out there. The more value that pick has, the more options for them.”

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The likelihood of a Chicago Bulls-Golden State Warriors deal involving forward Luol Deng for a package including Andris Biedrins, Dorell Wright and the No. 7 pick is slim. In light of the knee injury to Derrick Rose that will keep him out for most (if not all) of next season, the Bulls have been given the directive by owner Jerry Reinsdorf to get out of luxury tax land before next year, and there’s little chance the Warriors can offer the financial flexibility to do that.

Considering that the quintet of Joakim Noah, Deng, Rose, Carlos Boozer and Richard Hamilton is slated to make more than $60 million next season, that won’t be easy. Rose is the franchise, for better or worse, and there is little interest in Hamilton and zero interest in Boozer. That means Noah and Deng are the trade candidates — and Noah, who has restricted free agent center Omer Asik behind him, is perhaps more likely to be traded than Deng. Either way, the Bulls want cap space.

One interesting potential landing spot for Deng could be Toronto, which is looking for a veteran small forward, and does have a remaining trade exception worth $7.6 million from the Leandro Barbosa trade.

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Last year, just before draft night, Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond pulled the trigger on a deal that sent Corey Maggette and John Salmons to Charlotte for Stephen Jackson and Shaun Livingston. The year before, Milwaukee dealt Dan Gadzuric and Charlie Bell to Golden State for Maggette. The year before that, they sent Richard Jefferson to San Antonio for, mostly, cap relief. And before that, Hammond brought Jefferson in from New Jersey for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons.

So, will it be five straight draft-week deals for the Bucks?

“We’re anticipating that’s not going to happen,” Hammond told Sporting News. “I guess you never say never. We had reasons for doing that, making those trades at those times. I think at that time, most of them were two-fold: one, to improve our team, and two, to improve our financial structure. I think now, as we stand, from a salary standpoint, we don’t have to do that. We’re looking to improve our time, and that’s our primary focus.”

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As expected, Ohio State star forward Jared Sullinger’s slide continues. In light of news of a medical red flag related to a back issue, ESPN.com is reporting that Sullinger will not be invited to the green room in Newark on Thursday.